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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26784946">Don't Give Up</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annide/pseuds/Annide'>Annide</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tumblr Prompts [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Drug Abuse, Hurt/Comfort, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:40:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>842</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26784946</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annide/pseuds/Annide</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>TK shows up at Carlos's door late one night, in tears.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Carlos Reyes/TK Strand</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tumblr Prompts [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1925704</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>104</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Don't Give Up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for the "One Hundred Ways to say 'I love you' " prompt list on tumblr. anon requested 36. “We’ll figure it out.”</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was late. Carlos had already settled in bed, warm and comfortable under the covers, ready to let sleep take away the strain of his day. He'd just closed his eyes when he was disturbed by the sound of frantic knocks on his front door. He tried to ignore them, but they were loud and persistent. It couldn't be anything good at this time of night. He stood up and put on a t-shirt to cover his bare chest before he walked to the door. Whatever he'd expected to find on the other side, he never thought he'd come face to face with TK, tears spilling down his cheeks. The shock didn't have time to leave him before words came stumbling out of TK's mouth.</p>
<p>                “I messed up... I really messed up, Carlos.”</p>
<p>Carlos could barely make out what he was saying through his sobs. He was completely taken aback by the entire situation, still in that sleepy daze of bedtime.</p>
<p>                “TK... what happ-”</p>
<p>He was mid sentence when he noticed TK's appearance. His flushed skin, his eyes unfocused and seemingly struggling to stay open, the droop of his shoulders, the fact that he leaned against the wall as if too tired to hold himself up. He wasn’t the TK he was used to, there was something different about him. He was more relaxed, but in a bad way, like he’d lost his usual energy.</p>
<p>                “You're high.”</p>
<p>He said it calmly, matter-of-factly. There was no argument there, he knew TK’s history, and TK had to know he’d figure it out. Carlos had dealt with a lot of junkies in his line of work, he could recognise someone who was under the influence of something, no matter how much it broke his heart.</p>
<p>                “I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.” TK practically fell down from the violence of his sobs. “I shouldn't be here, it's too soon for you to see me like this. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come.”</p>
<p>TK made to turn away, but Carlos grabbed his wrist and pulled him inside, no way was he letting him go anywhere in that state. He closed the door behind him and led him to the couch.</p>
<p>                “Let me...” TK fought against his grip, still trying to leave, but he didn’t have the energy to actually get out of his grasp. He gave up and let himself fall next to Carlos on the couch. “You don’t deserve this, Carlos. I’ll just go and lie down in a ditch somewhere, that’s what I deserve.”</p>
<p>                “TK, what happened?”</p>
<p>Carlos tried to stay calm. He couldn’t let his emotions take control or he wouldn’t be able to help him.</p>
<p>                “I screwed everything up.” TK hid against Carlos’s chest, holding on to his t-shirt. “And now I’m getting your shirt wet, you won’t ever want to see me again.”</p>
<p>Carlos could feel more tears spilling down TK’s face, he wrapped his arms around him and started rubbing his back.</p>
<p>                “Don’t worry about that, I care about you a lot more than any of my shirts.”</p>
<p>                “How? All I do is mess things up.”</p>
<p>                “That’s not true. And even if it were, you are so much more than that.”</p>
<p>                “I have to start over again... I screwed up my recovery... again.”</p>
<p>                “It’ll be okay, TK. You’ll try again, and I’ll be here for you.”</p>
<p>He gave him a kiss on the top of his head. It broke his heart to see him like this. He’d known TK had struggled with substances in the past. He knew he’d recently had a relapse. He knew that after a relapse it could be hard to get back on track, and easy to fall off it again, but watching him still coming off his high, falling apart in his arms, was a completely different thing. He was glad, however, that he’d felt comfortable enough to come to him, to trust him.</p>
<p>                “Do you want me to call your dad? Or drive you home?”</p>
<p>                “My dad... Oh no... I promised him this would never happen again. It was more about the overdose, but... He’ll be so disappointed. I failed him... again. What am I gonna do? What am I gonna say to him?”</p>
<p>                “We’ll figure it out.”</p>
<p>TK sat up, his eyes wide as he stared straight at Carlos. They were red and still shining with tears, but he’d stopped crying, if only for a moment.</p>
<p>                “We? You mean, together?”</p>
<p>                “Yes, TK, together. I’m not going anywhere.”</p>
<p>TK pulled him in a tight hug and buried his face in the crook of his neck. His voice was muffled when he spoke next, and Carlos could barely make out his words.</p>
<p>                “I was so afraid I’d scare you away.”</p>
<p>                “You won’t get rid of me that easy. I’ve fallen way too hard for you already.”</p>
<p>Carlos thought he could feel him smile against his skin, maybe he was imagining it, hoping he’d somehow made a difference. Either way, he wasn’t giving up on doing everything he could to make TK feel better, however long it took.</p>
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